Sutton steps down after 24 years as judge

The entire region, stretching way beyond the boundaries of White County, bid farewell to a well-respected gentleman last week. Tom Sutton, longtime judge for the second judicial circuit, was honored with a reception at the White County Fairgrounds Floral Hall.

The entire region, stretching way beyond the boundaries of White County, bid farewell to a well-respected gentleman last week. Tom Sutton, longtime judge for the second judicial circuit, was honored with a reception at the White County Fairgrounds Floral Hall. The event was attended by many well-wishers from near and far as Sutton ended a tenure that included 24 years on the bench, 13 years as states attorney and two years in private practice. Many residents all over the 12-county circuit, stretching from Elizabethtown to the south and Robinson to the north and from Benton and Mt. Vernon, Ill. to the west to the Wabash River to the east, have had interactions with Sutton. He is and will always be revered as one of the most respected members of public office from the past few decades.

Born in White County and raised in Fairfield, Sutton's first major victory was to marry his high school sweetheart, Cheryl. He attended the University of Illinois and flowed directly into their law school. Cheryl received her teaching degree from Illinois State and relocated to Urbana during their first year of marriage, teaching in Rantoul and working toward her master's degree while Sutton was mastering his law degree. Prior to graduation, he was visited by Bill Fechtig of Carmi, who extended him an offer to join his law firm in Carmi. The opportunity gave Sutton a chance to be close to family and return to the area he grew up in.

Sutton joined Fechtig in the newly formed "Fechtig and Sutton" law practice, which was located on Main Street in downtown Carmi. A short time later, a shift on the bench left a void in the state's attorney's office and a perfect opportunity for Sutton to expand his skills.

"I'd only been out of law school two years when the state's attorney position became available in 1974," said Sutton. "At the time, they hadn't had a state attorney that young before. And, at that time, you could still hold that position and have a private practice, so it worked out well."

Sutton began to gain experience in a different form of the law. Cheryl began a nursery school in their home on Stewart Street and built the business up to a full time entity. When their youngest daughter entered first grade, Cheryl discontinued the nursery school with a standing waiting list of 60 seeking her service as a childcare provider. Cheryl reverted back to her training as a teacher and in all, completed 37 years of teaching five years ago upon retirement.

In 1987, Judge Henry Lewis announced he was retiring from his position and Sutton was in a perfect spot to succeed him. He had always admired Lewis and was excited to follow him into the next step of law.

During his 24 years on the bench, Sutton experienced many facets of the courtroom. His biggest honor was bestowed upon him by his fellow judges, a position he fulfilled for four years.

Page 2 of 3 - "I was really honored to be selected by the other judges as the chief judge," said Sutton. "That was probably one of the more memorable times from my career. In that position, you are dealing with all the circuit clerks, state's attorneys and courthouse staff and have to keep everything going. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've said several times that was one of the hardest parts of my decision to retire was to leave the people I worked with. Everybody I worked with has been like family and when you retire and leave that family, it's very difficult. You develop such relationships with them. It is hard to say goodbye."

Sutton worked on numerous types of cases while on the bench and presided over several murder cases. He did note the Gary Pate death penalty case was the most complex and stressful of the cases he worked.

"In order to sit on that type of case, you have to be certified," explained Sutton. "That made it a more complicated procedure. It was a pretty weighty trial. The jury selected in a case like that makes the decision but the judge still has to say the words."

The cases that affected Sutton the most were those involving children. Whether a child was the victim of abuse or neglect or involved in a divorce proceeding, Sutton said it was hard to see kids involved in those situations.

A situation that was not hard for Sutton was to reconnect with old colleagues and friends at his reception. During the event, several of his friends on the bench gave testimonials to his successes, both professional and personal. Steve Sawyer presented Sutton with a plaque from all the judges. But, the highlight of the event was a power point presentation from Sutton's two daughters, Jennifer and Kimberly.

Jennifer (Kays), who resides in Louisville, Ky. and Kimberly (Sarff), who resides in Morton, collaborated on a "Top Ten" list of reasons their father was retiring. The hilarious review included reasons such as spending their inheritance and said their father always buys something nice. They showed a photo of a motor home that rivaled the one featured in the film, "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." Another reason listed was due to the financial situation of the state of Illinois and Sutton would need to find another job where they quickly imposed him in a blue vest serving as a greeter for a big box store. Another reason on the list was that Sutton had been contacted to be a stunt mustache double for Tom Selleck, which was quickly followed by a photo of Sutton from his earlier days where he sported a dark full mustache. The Sutton girls list was the hit of the reception and a perfect way to honor their father as he moves into the next phase of his life.

Page 3 of 3 - The next phase of life for Sutton will be at a slightly slower pace. He and Cheryl already have a calendar filled with visits to watch their granddaughter, Madison, perform in a recital and their grandson, Aiden, participate in ballgames. In all, the Suttons have four grandchildren. Jennifer has two children, Madison, age 10, and Aiden, age eight, while Kimberly also has a son and daughter, Liam, age four, and Tinley, age 20 months. Sutton noted his grandchildren as one of the main reasons for his decision to retire.

"Cheryl and I want to be involved in their lives as much as we can while we are able to," said Sutton. "Right now, our health appears to be good, but we are reaching an age where you never know. We also like to travel and want to be able to take trips while we still have our health."

Whatever life has in store for the Suttons, they should both know they have made a difference in southern Illinois. And, whatever they tackle, they will pursue it with enthusiasm and will continue to be a bright spot in the community.